Support members, such as beams and the like, are known that have multiple layers and include two or more types of material.
However, there is still a need for a structural member, such as a load bearing beam, which overcomes the drawbacks of conventional supports that are relatively expensive, complicated to manufacture, fail to optimize the use of materials by fully exploiting the physical characteristics of the different materials, and which are unwieldy, bulky, difficult to use, and unhygienic.
Accordingly, there is a need for a support member which overcomes these above-mentioned drawbacks.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,713,919 to Platt discloses a laser welded ceiling grid member including an inverted T-shaped beam which includes a main part having a lower portion 27, and outwardly extending flanges 29 and 31 covered by a galvanized coating 15. A cap 35 surrounds the Platt flanges 29 and 31. The cap 35 covers a weld 33 because application of weld 33 has destroyed the Platt galvanized coating 15 in the vicinity of weld 33.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,068,583 to Westlund et al. discloses a support and method of making the same, which support includes a base metal central portion, such as strip 26 (FIG. 6) that is surrounded by a cover portion 15, as shown in FIG. 7. Westlund discloses that a suitable material for the base metal is cold-rolled steel, while a suitable material for the cover is stainless steel.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,462,818 to Moon discloses a method of making a hollow metal leg including a stainless steel strip bent into a first C-shaped channel, a second C-shaped channel disposed therein and opening in the opposite direction of the first C-shaped channel, and a decorative strip slidably retained between portions of the first and second C-shaped channels.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,783,498 to Moyer et al. describes a method of constructing a hollow beam having opposed outer surfaces strengthened by added on steel strips differing in thickness from the remainder of the hollow beam and which opposed ends are intended to be the upper and lower surfaces of the beam.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,141,067 to Lloyd discloses a reinforced tubing which comprises a substantially cylindrical seamless tubing 1 having a plurality of less expensive formed inner pieces of tubing having longitudinal seams.
The term "beam" as used throughout the description is for convenience only, given that all types of support members, columns, cantilevers, structural members, and the like are intended to be included within the scope of the invention. Likewise, the terms V-shaped and T-shaped beams are general terms, as the appearance of such beams depends on the size of the respective included angles and the particular materials and structure of the beams according to the invention.